MMDA trains mall guards in traffic management

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) started training security guards of various Metro Manila malls in traffic management at its office in Makati City yesterday.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said the training will be handled by the agency’s Traffic Academy. He said up to 50 mall guards could be accommodated for training between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.

“What we’re using as force multipliers are their own security guards, we’ll train (them) for free,” he said.

Tolentino said additional training is needed for the guards since they are primarily taught to provide safety, not manage the traffic of vehicles.

“The security guards’ training is more on holding a shotgun and a whistle. But what if you have a relative inside an ambulance that’s stuck in traffic? The guards should also help keep vehicles moving,” he said.

Tolentino said mall guards would most be helpful at past 7 p.m., when most MMDA traffic enforcers are off duty.

The training of mall security guards for traffic management was proposed by the MMDA in a meeting with Metro mall operators Friday. Tolentino, during the traffic coordination meeting with security and administrative officials of the Metro malls, said a major reason for the bad traffic situation in the metropolis, especially along EDSA, are the “midnight sales” or extended hours of the malls during this time of the year.

“Let us help each other in speeding up the flow (of vehicles),” Tolentino said.

 In the meeting, Tolentino also asked that mall operators inform the MMDA of the extended mall hours or sale events, which will be flashed on the MMDA’s electronic billboards along EDSA.